The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 246

direction, do we not also need active help? for we are n11t only fa.Uible, but frail. (1) 'l'he gro.ce of life shall be given. All the power of love which constitutes our spiritoa.l life shall be supplied by him. Hie Spirit is within us; we a.re led by himself to him- self. (2) The gro.ce of conquest also. All power, e.s well nega.tively towards evil as positively towards good. Whl\tever oppositions there may be to our spiritual well- being, we shall conquer through his love. (a) Actively: as pressing our wa.y thro1Jah temptation; (b) passively: we learn to suffer and be strong. 3. Glory. While guidance and grace are given to conduct us to the glory, the glory itself is sure. (1) Perfect purity: all possibility of sin then done away; all fulness of good. (2) Perfect manhood: our outward and inward nature harmonized. (3) A perfect world: our habitation and our nature then at one. . II. Otra PLEDGE. But how know. we that these thing~ shall be given? The pledge 1s twofold: God's purpose-" God 1s for us ; " God's gift--" He spared not his own Son." 1. God initiates salvatiun. Not begged of him by us; not procured by a. third. "Of his own will." If he begins to work, he will finish. 2. God gives the supreme Gijt. The very life : his Son ; himself. Hence all subordinate gifts will be given. " ls not the life more than meat?" 3. God loves with such a love. Beyond our thought. But more than all which the analogy suggests: " his own Son." "How then shall he not,n etc.? Argue the matter to yoursel vea. He gave his Son for me I .And then- "All, all he hath for mine I claim ; I dare believe in J esu'a Name I" T.F.L. Vere. 33, 34.-Tlie triumphant challenge. He has asked the general question, chal- lenging an answer: "If God be for us, who can be against us ? " He now proceeds to two special questions, the first of which has reference to the justification of believ~ b_v God. In view of that he asks, "Who sh!lli lay anything to their charge? who shall condemn? " .And again, amplifying the fact of their justification, he tells of the death, the resurrection, the ascension, the intercession, of Christ Jesus, as the pledge and declaration of their acquittal. We may consider the possible sources of charge against God's people, and their triumphant vindication. I. THE CHARGE, To them that are in Christ Jesus there is now no condemnation, and yet whispers of condemnation may again and again be heard. 1. The transgres- sions of the past may come to mind with such force as to destroy our joy in God. Past irreparable, and though first consciousness of free forgiveness of God may almost blot it from our memory for the time, yet there are times when it seems to live again, and so vividly that we can hardly detach the thought of overwhelming guilt as still upon us. 2. The imperfections of the present. How far from the perfectness of the ideal ! .And how the very growth of earnestness and increase of endeavour seem to make the ideal more distant still I So conscience, the Law, the adversary, and accusing men (see Beet, in Zoe.) may make us feel condemned. II. THE VINDICATION. But the condemnl\tion is not real; it e::i:ists only in the diseased imagination. Let it be brought face to fe.ce with the great facts of the gospel, e.nd it must vanish quite away. What are these facts? 1. The great central fact is that we are God's chosen ones; and who shall dispute God's choice? Not that he ever ce.n act without reason; but, whether we see the reason or not, wee.re elect, the elect of God, as being his people, e.nd who shall gainsay it? 2. This great election is declared by his justification of the believer, which has gone abroad in the gospel to all the wotld : "He that believeth is not condemned." 3. And even the reasons of the election of believers e.re graciously made known, and graciously confirmed: Christ's death, resurrection, exaltation, cmd intercession. (1) The death of Christ, as the great Pro- pitiation for the sins of the world, utterly does away all guill to those who sincerely receive it by faith. As the Son of God, he thus sets forth the infinite love of .. God who laid down his life for our sake; as Son of man, making reconciliation for the sins of tho people, he appeals on our behalf evon to the infinite justice for our acquittal. And thaugh we may still be frnil, and sin mriy clenve to us, yet, if we are sincmi in our foith, thrit atonement avails for nil thin~s and for ever. (2) The resurl't..>ation of Obrist, following after the expiation, is Gods sure sett.ing-forth of the value of th1J  THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. [on. vm. 1-30,